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A Tale of Two Cities
After the cold bite of the disappointing retail winter, we have decided to cheer ourselves up by taking a look at opulence on both sides of the pond. Our resident retail expert, brand director of Visual Thinking Karl McKeever, compares a selection of luxurious department stores in New York and London to see who is setting the benchmark this season.
New York has many department stores offering something for everyone. From busy mass-market stores with mainstream brands to exclusive stores with niche products at eye-watering prices. At the highest end are Henri Bendel and Barneys.
These offer different experiences, but both exclusive and with the optimum choice of international brands, service and customer experience - if that's possible. Somewhat more mid-market, are two stores with outlets in other major USA cities and now more recently, internationally too.
Saks 5th Avenue
The Saks store on 5th Avenue is one of the oldest and most well-established department stores in New York City, opening on September 15th 1924. The womenswear offer in Saks is superb. Collections from leading international and national designers are arranged over several well laid out and attractive floors. Each brand has its own 'shop in shop' space or product stories: sportswear, designer collections, occasions etc.
Whilst many of the floors are exceptional, with easy layout and strong visual merchandising, there are areas that require refurbishment. However, Saks is on an upgrade programme to renew the store and introduce new brands and retail concepts, the latest of which will see an impressive Stella McCartney area open within the store this spring.
I like Saks for its sense of scale and sense of intimacy. It still manages to achieve a sense of personal scale and the vast choice is made easy to shop through good layout planning and overall use of space. There's never a sense that this is a mass-market store. It presents products with an air of exclusivity and premium quality.
Bloomingdales
Like its neighbour, albeit a few blocks away, Bloomingdales is also a very good store. Locals will undoubtedly have a preference as to which is their favourite shop, but for me the choice is more about the overall type of shopping experience.
Bloomingdales is more mid-market (similar to House of Fraser in the UK). Here a strong fashion offer is complemented by an equal strength in home wares and soft furnishings. However in fashion Bloomingdales' offer competes with Saks' very well. You will find exclusive brands and products, but there is a greater emphasis on more well-recognised names and everyday price points. If I had to criticise, it's that Bloomingdales needs to improve the overall cohesion and synergy so that its mainstream offer and exclusive presence feels better aligned.
This side of the pond, London is also a massive international tourist draw. Unlike New York more European brands are found. This is reflected not just in the labels in store but in the type of retail environment and services provided.
Harrods
Harrods almost needs no introduction. Famed for its former royal patronage, Harrods is adored by tourists and the Knightsbridge/Kensington set. Its impressive exterior being the subject of thousands of cheesy tourist photos and postcards.
In store the pervading theme of Harrods exudes luxury. Its old charm and many areas have an almost 'National Trust' look and feel. This is code for saying there is a need for further upgrade and refurbishment to several parts of the store.
Harrods has its own unique DNA and although it may not be to everyone's liking (the contemporary set) it plays its hand to old money and its reputation for premium quality, exclusivity and high prices plays out well in reality instore.
Recent work to the basement has revealed an impressive new Men's Lab (experimental brands and capsule collections). Contemporary designers and a more 'edgier' feel being hallmarks of the renovation.
Whilst there is currently no attempt to go head-to-head with Selfridges, in terms of the brands stocked or shopping experience provided, the gradual transformation of Harrods under its new ownership will be interesting to watch to see if and how the proposition changes over time.
Selfridges
The impressive Oxford St store has stood the test of time very well. Comprehensively upgraded with major structural and aesthetic improvements in the 1990s - the store has a new investment plan in place that will see a root and branch upgrade in the coming years. The aim being to reassert its high style credentials over Oxford Street and raise the bar significantly with its brands and retail concepts. And with 'designer' Bond Street only doors away, Selfridges competes with some of the best retail experiences in Europe, so expect the improvements to be very good!
Its recently opened and spectacular women's shoe boutique hints at what's to come. Spread over 35,000 sq feet, it stocks around 5,000 different styles from more than 150 brands including high street favourites like Dune to designer brands like Manolo Blahnik, Chanel and Roger Vivier.
It has a similarly exciting and varied choice in womenswear collections. Leading international brands sit comfortably aside high street favourites, which are all presented with great VM and for the best part, high retail standards. The biggest difference to Harrods being that the VM and displays in Selfridges have a contemporary and stylish look versus Harrods's nostalgic, theatrical and historic appeal.
So then, which is best? For me Saks is the best for a sense of exclusivity and space, yet Bloomingdales has such an incredible choice and wide appeal. Harrods is all about a nostalgic journey that exudes luxury and Selfridges is the best place to visit for those seeking great choice and an uber cool experience.
But if you have money to burn and love one-one one attention it has to be either Henri Bendel or Barney's, depending on whether you are a lady or a vamp.